BodyEcology Cookbook GutSmart
BodyEcology Cookbook GutSmart
BodyEcology Cookbook GutSmart
“This book is wholeheartedly dedicated to the millions of people who are confused and
frustrated because their health is suffering and they don’t know where to turn.”
Deliciously Healing Foods for
a Happier, Healthier World
As you prepare these recipes, please do so with an intention to heal. A cook’s vibrations
are always in the food! In fact, in earlier times, many spiritual teachers would choose their
most spiritually elevated devotees to prepare food for them, knowing that only a well-
balanced, centered person with a gentle, humble soul has the power to create food with a
harmonious and positive energy.
The best-kept secret to creating delicious meals is to prepare them with a heart of gratitude.
When you do, the food “feels” your energy and responds in a loving way. This is the true
meaning of the saying “food is medicine”.
Research on the brain has shown that children remember habits, not our words, so start
your children out with healthy ones. Create the practice of gathering around the kitchen
where healthy food is being prepared and enjoyed. If you do, then that is what they will
grow up remembering and hopefully one day recreate for their own children.
As you experience the recipes in this cookbook, you too will see that they are not only
healing, but are delicious as well. For decades, people have written to report that after
several weeks they see a dramatic improvement in their health. Gluten-free, sugar-free,
and rich in probiotic foods, Body Ecology is based on 7 universal laws or principles that
help us solve much of the mystery around healing. Our initial goal is to recreate, as closely
as possible, the original process that Nature uses to establish our inner ecosystem.
We are often asked what separates The Body Ecology Diet from other diets. The magic of
The Body Ecology Diet starts with healing your digestive tract, where both disease and
wellness begin. At least 70 percent of our immune system resides in our gut. The beneficial
microbes living there help us digest our foods, strengthen our immunity so that we can
conquer infections, and much more.
More than a hundred years ago, Eli Metchnikoff noted that people eating fermented
foods lived longer, healthier lives. I coined the term “the inner ecosystem” to describe
this internal world of beneficial microbes that should be flourishing in the intestines.
This inner ecosystem is the key to health and longevity, a fact that is well validated by
My fascination with the ability to heal with food began early in my life. I studied to be a
dietitian in college and found it to be too one-sided—lots of science but no real focus on
the wisdom of Nature. My own kitchen soon became my laboratory. And the path that I
would eventually embark upon would lead me to rediscover ancient healing foods and
ultimately discover the key to unlocking the body’s innate intelligence to heal.
The Body Ecology Diet was originally created to help overcome candidiasis (a fungal or
yeast infection); a condition that millions of people have. It soon became very clear that
The Diet does so much more.
After more than 30 years of studying, and then bridging the gap between Chinese medicine
and traditional Western medicine, what evolved into the Body Ecology Way is now a very
effective method for addressing the root cause of disease. Most of the recipes in this book
are designed for those on Stage 1 of Body Ecology and will allow anyone with candidiasis
or other disorders to enjoy delicious tasting foods while healing.
Over years of experimenting and researching, Body Ecology has dispelled popular miscon-
ceptions about certain demonized foods such as coconut oil. For example, after learning
from Dr. Ray Peat that coconut oil was beneficial for the thyroid, I became intrigued and
wanted to uncover the real truth about this source of saturated fat from the plant kingdom.
I also learned from Dr. Mary Enig, whose research at the University of Maryland had
identified anti-fungal and anti-viral fatty acids in coconut oil, and I began to teach about
its many benefits, especially for candidiasis and viral infections. In a few years, the use of
coconut oil in our diet began to soar, especially after Bruce Fife published his excellent
books. Thanks to the teamwork of a handful of coconut oil advocates working together,
often not knowing of each other’s efforts, this wonderful healing fat is back in our food
supply once again.
In the early 90s Americans were waking up to the fact that eating sugar is harmful to the
human body. Aspartame became a popular sugar-substitute, but perhaps this was jumping
from the frying pan into the fire. Knowing that sugar fueled a systemic yeast infection and
that people who consumed a sugar-free diet lived longer without suffering from chronic health
conditions and cancer, I began looking for a safer alternative. Knowing that we humans love
the sweet taste I began introducing stevia (also known as rebaudioside) to the U.S. market.
For years, Body Ecology helped educate and create the market to make stevia mainstream.
Based on a deep understanding of how the digestive tract truly affects how you look, feel,
Body Ecology-approved fermented foods fight yeast and other unhealthy pathogens in
your digestive tract. In addition to probiotics, which provide your body with beneficial
microbiota (bifidus, acidophilus, beneficial yeast), these superfoods will be an important
factor in recolonizing your inner microbial world.
We have been teaching people how to ferment vegetables, coconut water, and the soft spoon
meat in young Thai coconuts for years. We offer probiotics in a non-dairy liquid form that
The journey begins with honest self-evaluation: where are you, right now, today; and how
prepared are you to embark on this new program? The first step is to get a clear snapshot
of your current health status. By visiting your holistically oriented doctor (one trained in
functional medicine), you can obtain helpful tests, such as a hormone panel and a genetic
profile, and check the status of your minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. You can find
out what heavy metals are in your body and even determine your biological age (versus
your chronological age), all of which will help clarify your individual needs and help you
plan the meals that will truly nourish your own unique body.
You have most likely heard the expression that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with
the first step.” This principle tells us where to begin and what steps to take first. Anytime
you are starting something new, it can feel overwhelming; however, you’ll do yourself a
favor by taking things step by step at a pace that feels comfortable for you. Small steps over
time add up to big results. Address and follow these four simple actions to make you
successful in healing:
1. Create energy. First and foremost, create energy. Nothing else can happen until
this initial step has been taken. Evaluate your energy and take a few moments to
consider the things that are draining you of vital energy: Not enough sleep? Too
many commitments? Toxic relationships? The amazing superfoods and anti-aging
therapies found in the Body Ecology Way provide excellent solutions to begin renewing
your energy day after day…step by step.
2. Conquer or control infections. The Body Ecology system of health and healing,
with its amazing Diet, originally began as a way to conquer yeast infections. It is the
most complete and comprehensive antifungal diet available and a leader in using
fermented foods and nutrition for healing.
Today, eight out of ten Americans suffer from candidiasis. The drugs, alcohol, stress,
and sweet foods so available to us have accelerated this widespread yeast/fungal
problem. The lifestyles we lead give fungi even more opportunity to thrive. Infections
cause inflammation. Diagnosing and conquering all infections is essential to the
journey to wellness.
Other common infections most of us are struggling with include viral herpes, bacterial
infections in the gums, low-grade, chronic bacterial infections in the bladder, and
H. pylori bacterial infections in the stomach.
When infections like candida are corrected by using the Body Ecology approach, energy
automatically goes up and susceptibility to disease goes down. Once infections are
brought under control by your immune system, the energy to rejuvenate becomes yours.
3. Correct digestion. When the digestive tract doesn’t work well, nothing works
well. Are you experiencing some of the signs of a compromised digestive tract, such
as constipation, diarrhea, inflammation in the gut, irritable bowel syndrome, and
flatulence? It is essential that you heal your gut lining and establish a healthy inner
The other part of Step-by-Step says that all of this cannot be done at once. Body
Ecology has an excellent understanding of gut health and provides us with valuable
tools for having a healthy digestive tract throughout life. When first starting The
Diet, during the first five to ten days, many people with an inflamed mucosal lining
will want to “rest” the gut by eating primarily soft or liquid foods—broths, purees,
and green smoothies—and also lightly steamed leafy-green and ocean vegetables.
We encourage people to look at the many tools we have. Pick one to start. Become
comfortable with it. Pick up another one and keep on going. One day you’ll look
back and you’ll have an array of amazing tools that will serve you very well.
4. Cleanse out toxins. We must actively remove the toxins from our bodies. These
toxins are in our organs and in our cells. They come to us from nutritionally deficient,
poorly digested, and poorly combined foods. They are in the water, in the air, and
even in our self-destructive feelings. They are in drug residues and ingested metals,
such as lead, aluminum, and cadmium. We have inherited toxins from our parents,
and we pass them on to our own children. Toxins snuff out our spiritual power and
our intuition. When they are removed from our lives, boundless energy is created.
Doing so is also essential for young men and women who are considering pregnancy
and want to have beautiful, healthy children.
Taking a step-by-step approach to healing doesn’t mean that your progress has to be slow.
You can choose how quickly you embrace the steps, and you may experience immediate
improvements in energy and vitality. On the other hand, you might need to go at a more
moderate pace. Be realistic. Don’t take on more than you can handle. When you feel
comfortable with one step, move on to another.
Here are four simple steps you can take in the beginning:
2. Change the oils you are currently eating to the extra-virgin, unrefined
fats and oils of The Diet. The recipes in this book will provide you with a delicious
array of fats and oils to keep you looking and feeling great. They also make eating
more pleasurable.
4. Pay attention to cleansing your colon. You might consider trying your first
colonic if you’ve never had one before. Cells must eliminate their toxic waste. When
you’re constipated, so are your cells. They, too, feel toxic, sluggish, and irritable. Actively
cleansing with diet, herbs, colonics, and home enemas will soon become commonplace
as more of us begin to understand that we must assist our body in its attempt to purify.
Success comes step by step. That’s why you must be very determined to stick with The Diet
until you master it. Advance according to your own personal pace, but persevere. As you
begin to implement The Diet, I hope you will treat your body as an evolving experiment
in self-awareness. Unlike other dietary approaches, the Body Ecology Way is not a short-
term “fix,” but rather an ongoing journey of personal discovery and adaptation.
If we are to enjoy optimum health, toxins must come out of the cells in our organs. Cleansing
is the process that accomplishes this by carrying away cellular debris.
What most of us don’t realize is that our bodies are constantly working on our behalf to purify
and cleanse us of these toxins. A speck of dust gets in your eye, and you blink and tear up to
cleanse out the dust to wash it away so it won’t hurt you. A similar thing happens when a virus
invades your system and you get a fever; it’s your immune system working to purify your body
of that toxin. In fact, the ability to purge toxins out of each cell is really quite remarkable. (We
pay extra for ovens that are self-cleaning, yet our bodies do it for us for free!)
On The Body Ecology Diet, cell walls remain soft and pliable from antioxidant-rich plant
foods. Nutrients carried in your bloodstream enter your cells, while waste products are
sent back out into the bloodstream, where they are eliminated in a variety of ways. Examples
of how the body eliminates toxins are: bowel movements, urination, skin eruptions, sweating
from a fever or the summer heat, tears, vomiting, coughing up mucus, and menstruation.
Unfortunately, we have been taught that these bodily cleansings are “bad” and need to be
suppressed, so we pop a few pills, keep on working, and try to pretend they’re not really
15
A
Acid/Alkaline
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To keep your body more alkaline, your diet should primarily consist of foods from the plant
kingdom, especially vegetables from the land and the sea. The more color, the better: dark
green, leafy vegetables and dark—even black—ocean veggies, properly prepared so that you
Eighty percent of your food intake should be these colorful, alkaline-forming foods, and our
recipes are designed to keep your body in perfect balance.
Food combining means to deliberately eat certain foods with other foods. We do this
because when foods digest easily together, it allows the stomach, small intestine, and colon
to do their jobs more efficiently. As a result, nutrients are more accessible. There is less
bloating and gas in your digestive tract, and also less inflammation. Incompatible foods
that do not digest properly can ferment and cause an overproduction of sugars, indigestion,
and constipation. This also creates more toxins and more acidity in your body.
Food combining often seems complicated to people, but it is actually one of the easiest of
the principles to implement. In fact, if you practice it for one week, it will become second
nature to you. There are six simple rules to food combining:
Rule 2. Eat grains and grain-like seeds (that is, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, and amaranth)
with starchy and non-starchy vegetables.
Rule 3. Eat fruit alone, and at least 30 minutes before any other meal, or combine with a
protein/fat (see Rule 5). Or combine acidic fruit with leafy-green salads.
Rule 4. Combine fats and oils with animal protein, grains, grain-like seeds, or starchy or
non-starchy vegetables. Basically, oils and fats go with everything!
Rule 5. Combine protein/fats with other protein/fats. (Protein/fats are foods that contain
both protein and fat, such as avocados, dairy foods, and nuts and seeds.)
Rule 6. Combine protein/starches with non-starchy vegetables from the land and ocean.
(Protein/starches, such as beans, contain mostly starch but also a small amount of protein.)
Ar
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20%
80%
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Your Tummy
While these basic rules will get you started, there is much more to learn about food
combining. If you are interested in expanding your understanding, this principle is covered
at length in our book The Body Ecology Diet.
The Principle of 80/20 works well in conjunction with that of Principle of Food Combining,
as both are about correcting and improving digestion. Many of us have “eyes that are bigger
than our stomachs.” We eat huge portions, consuming not only to the point of satiation,
but usually well beyond that. This puts far too much stress on our already overtaxed digestive
tracts. The 80/20 Principle prevents this issue with three simple rules:
Rule 1. Eat until your stomach is 80 percent full, leaving 20 percent available for digestion.
This means leaving the table before your stomach is full. You can always come back and
eat more later!
Rule 2. Eighty percent of the food on your plate should be land and/or ocean vegetables,
with the remaining 20 percent reserved for a meat protein, a grain, or starchy vegetables.
Vegetables are the staple of the Body Ecology Way. Fill 80 percent your plate with non-
You can read much more about the 80/20 Principle—and all of the principles outlined here—
in The Body Ecology Diet. But for now, this baseline understanding of the principles will allow
you to understand how to eat and live the Body Ecology Way: healing from the inside out.
On Stage 1 of The Diet, your goal is to restore your inner ecosystem, conquer your yeast
infection, create more energy and better support your body in the life-long process of
cleansing. Food can become your most important ally or it can be your worst enemy. That’s
why, in this initial stage of healing or rejuvenation, certain foods (like sugars, casein, gluten,
and bad fats) must be totally avoided because they sabotage your efforts.
When any challenges you are facing have disappeared and when you’ve established a
hearty inner ecosystem in your intestines from eating fermented foods and drinking
probiotic liquids, you may be ready to start slowly introducing other foods back into your
diet (Stage 2), but it’s vitally important to choose only the healthiest ones.
Sadly, we’ve often seen people who were all too eager to begin Stage 2 get into trouble by
drifting back into their old way of eating. Some were feeling sorry for themselves because
they were deprived of their favorite “forbidden foods”—the ones that either made them
sick in the first place or simply aggravated their symptoms. Far too many people misinterpret
Stage 2 and widen their menu too quickly and/or return to eating foods that are addictive
In Stage 2, you’re still following the 7 Body Ecology Principles and enjoying the many
vegetables, the healthy proteins, the grain-like seeds, and the unrefined fats and oils on Stage
1 of The Diet, but you’re now ready to broaden your menu a bit. Consider slowly introducing
gluten-free grains such as rice and whole oats, perhaps legumes, such as lentils, and also the
sweeter vegetables you may have avoided, such as sweet potatoes and yams. (These sweeter
vegetables should always be eaten with cultured vegetables and probiotic liquids so that the
beneficial bacteria will consume the natural plant sugars). In Stage 2 some people can begin
to introduce fermented dairy made with goat, sheep or cow milk into their diets, but many
people are better off avoiding dairy completely. (See more on dairy below.)
We’d like to make it very clear that Stage 2 does not mean going back to candy bars, pasta,
bread, and foods made with sugar, gluten, and refined oils. Usually if you do go back to
these foods after eating a very cleansing diet like The Body Ecology Diet, your body will
send a loud, clear signal that it doesn’t want them anymore. If you do fall off The Diet for
a short time, especially during the holidays or times when you are traveling, it doesn’t take
long to feel the difference.
Complex, slow-burning carbs should not be put in the same category as simple sugars,
such as sweet fruits, dried fruits or refined carbs (doughnuts, sandwiches, and pasta.) Slow-
burning grains and grain-like seeds both help create a happier, healthier gut. They feed
friendly microbiota. They provide fiber that helps hold moisture in the stool and provide
the bulk needed for proper peristalsis and elimination. If you’ve been on a strict Paleo
(high protein, high fat diet) and are not sleeping well at night, you might try eating a slow-
release grain during your evening meal and see if you aren’t sleeping better in a few days.
You’ll always want to avoid the most reactive grains that have gluten—wheat, kamut, rye,
barley and spelt. Also avoid flour products, which are gummy, glue-like foods. Try sprouted
GABA rice (from TruRoots™) and gluten-free whole-
Preparing oat groats. Avoid oatmeal or steel cut oats, which have
Legumes not been cleaned properly before cutting and shredding.
In other words, eat your newly added grains in their
Like grains, legumes must be whole form. If you enjoy legumes, like lentils, adzuki
soaked for at least 8 hours to
beans and chickpeas introduce them slowly and prepare
remove the phytic acid, a plant
them properly. When eating these new foods you’ll still
poison or anti-nutrient that
want to follow the 80/20 rule. Only 20 percent of your
inhibits digestion. When you
cook legumes, boil them vigor- plate should be the new grain or new bean and the
ously for 15 minutes to remove remaining 80 percent should be those starchy or non-
the lectins, another plant toxin starchy vegetables or ocean vegetables that you know
that makes some people work well in your unique body.
sensitive to grains and legumes.
After 15 minutes of boiling, Always adding a few spoonsful of cultured vegetables to
drain the beans then put them your plate or drinking several ounces of a probiotic liquid
back into the stockpot and cover will allow you to safely enjoy these complex carbs. The
with filtered water. Cook them beneficial microbiota in the fermented foods will dine on
slowly with a strip of kombu, a the sugars in the grains and will also help you digest them.
sea vegetable, until they are
tender. The kombu adds iodine For decades, nutritionists have considered legumes an
as well as other alkaline minerals excellent source of vegetarian protein; however, this is
to the legumes, which are natu- questionable because they are mostly starch and contain
rally acidic. Celtic sea salt, also very little protein. They are difficult to digest. If you love
alkalizing, can be added in the beans and want to add them back into your diet,
final 30 minutes of cooking preparing them properly will make them more digestible,
once the beans are soft. more balanced and more nutritious. (See the sidebar.)
Milk kefir should be introduced into the diet only after the gut lining is healthy and a
robust and diverse inner ecosystem is in place. In other words, never drink it if you have a
leaky, inflamed gut lining.
Fermenting milk into milk kefir makes it more digestible since the proteins and fats are
broken down and the sugars consumed by the bacteria and yeast.
Since milk is dehydrating and can cause constipation, diluting the milk with a liquid
can make it less constipating. Try adding ¼ cup of milk kefir to 6 ounces of sparkling
mineral water then add some fresh lemon juice and a few drops of stevia liquid concentrate.
Add a spoonful of milk kefir to your favorite herbal tea or add ¼ cup to your morning
smoothie. The small amount will allow the microbiome in your gut to learn how to deal
with this new food.
Milk kefir is a protein/fat so it combines best with other protein fats (avocado, nuts and
seeds) and with acid fruits (berries, kiwis, etc.). You may find that a little bit of raw sheep
or goat cheese sprinkled on top of your raw veggie salad with some soaked and sliced
almonds and/or avocado works well for you. Or another great idea for those who do well
on a little bit of dairy is to make a delicious kefir salad dressing.
While Stage 2 allows more foods than Stage 1, remember that throughout life your body
will be in a constant state of flux because life is filled with change. The seasons of the year,
the process of aging, stress, and your emotions and beliefs will tip you into and out of
Beware of green smoothie recipes that use vegetables from the cruciferous family, especially
kale. Cruciferous vegetables need to be cooked until tender, or fermented to make them
more digestible and are not advised if you have a thyroid problem.
High quality, mineral rich sea salt helps produce stomach acid (hydrochloric acid (HCl))
that is essential for digestion. But also, very importantly, fruits and vegetables naturally have
eggs, larva and parasites on them that we cannot see. Yes, even organic fruits and veggies
do. HCl not only helps us digest protein by stimulating production of pepsin in the stomach,
it is there to kill any parasites as well.
We strongly suggest that you spray or soak (for two minutes) your fruits and vegetables in
a special “wash” before using them in your smoothie or any other raw recipe, including
salads. Commercially made veggie washes are available online or in many health food stores.
You can make your own by simply adding apple cider vinegar and lemon juice to water.
Store your homemade wash in a spray bottle.
Investing in a powerful blender like a VitaMix™ or a BlendTec™ is well worth the money.
They last for decades.
Smoothies for breakfast are most beneficial. We suggest you make a larger portion and drink
it throughout the morning. Store any remainder in a glass container and drink it the following
day. If you haven’t had one yet, the warm weather marks the best time to try these healthy
smoothies. You’ll love the way you feel after drinking one. Play with the ingredients and
create your own favorites. Just be careful not to make them too sweet.
Coconut Milk
Ingredients: Directions:
1 cup fresh or frozen young coconut meat 1. Combine young coconut meat and
3½ cups coconut water coconut water in a blender and process until
smooth.
If you can’t find young coconut meat locally, it is 2. Strain through a cheesecloth, fine sieve
available from exoticsuperfoods.com. or nut-milk bag.
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One beneficial way to prepare eggs is over easy (a soft, runny yolk) in organic coconut oil
or ghee. Then, mostly eat the yolk. The cooked egg white (protein) is difficult to digest.
Contrary to popular belief, it is the egg yolk that contains the most important nutrients in
the egg, such as DHA and Vitamins A and D.
Eggs are sorely misunderstood these days. Yes, they do have cholesterol, but they are compar-
atively low in fat. The yolk also contains lecithin, which aids in fat assimilation. Eggs actively
raise the level of HDL, which is the good cholesterol, and they have the most perfect protein
components of any food. Today, even though we Americans have drastically cut our egg
consumption, there has not been a decline in heart disease. If you have been an egg lover
and have given them up, you can now enjoy them by eating them appropriately. Remember
to combine them with lots of alkaline vegetables to balance their acidic nature. Raw cultured
vegetables are an excellent expansive food that balances the contracting power of eggs, and
the enzyme-rich vegetables greatly enhance digestion of protein.
These scrambled eggs can be garnished with dulse flakes and/or chopped green onions. Serve with
cultured vegetables. Eggs, especially when prepared this way with the extra egg yolks, nourish your
thyroid and are truly “brain food.”
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Whatever you call them, little dishes are a must when entertaining. A delicious first course
presented beautifully can be the perfect way to start a party and whet your guests’ appetites
for the main course. Or make them all ahead of time and serve them tapas-style for a ladies
luncheon, bridal shower or fundraiser.
Have fun with these little dishes and while your health-conscious friends savor each bite
they’ll be delighted to know that you are not poisoning them with gluten, heavy cream, and
mayonnaise made with trans-fatty acids.
This nut-free, grain-free, seed-free snack is perfect for dipping into cultured veggies, on top of a
salad, or just by the handful. Even the kids will love it.
The versatile zucchini squash makes a perfect addition to your healthy cracker and chip recipes.
Have fun adding it to your favorite dehydrated and baked chip recipes for the extra benefit of
dietary fiber.
Another great dish for entertaining! Make it the day of your party or a day in advance. Bake when
you’re ready! It is easy to double, triple or quadruple this recipe, so last-minute guests will not send you
into a panic. The squash cups also make a very nice lunch served with spinach soup, or as a vegetarian
entrée served with grains.
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Mention the word soup and most people picture a steaming bowl of delicious, nutritious
food, or they remember the great aromas that drew them to their mothers’ kitchens, or they
recall how a bowl of cold soup calmed them down on a hot summer day. Body Ecology has
wonderful soups—they’re simple to make, easy to digest, and very healing!
Traditionally, soup is served at lunch or dinner but we recommend that you eat it for
breakfast, too. Soup has a high water content and is alkaline-forming, and it’s ideal in the
morning when your body is dehydrated. You can make your breakfast soup as light or as
filling as you want; anything from a vegetable broth to a hearty soup with cut-up vegetables
and even grains.
Soups are a godsend for busy people! Pull out that slow cooker you never use, and make
soup in it while you’re out working or running errands. You can make a large amount and
keep it in the refrigerator for several days so that you always have a complete, healthy meal
at your fingertips. When you have something like soup so available, it’s easy to follow Body
Ecology principles.
If you don’t like to cook, or feel you’re not particularly good at it, soups are foolproof. You
can season them to your individual taste, add leftovers to fill them out, and change the
flavors each time you make them. Be creative and daring—it’s almost impossible to make
a mistake! Children, who are often picky eaters, tend to love soup, especially if they help
you make it.
Try a “clean out the refrigerator” soup. Look for vegetables or leftovers that need to be used
soon and invent a soup with them. Or make a soup using scraps of onion skins, carrot peels,
celery leaves, broccoli stems, cabbage cores, and fresh herbs. The skins and peels of vegetables
contain extraordinary amounts of nutrients—but use them only if they are organic, because
pesticides and toxins accumulate on the skins or in the areas between the root and leaves,
like carrots.
Not sure how to use those good-for-you sea vegetables? Put several three-inch strips of
kombu in the pot when you start your soup. When the soup is cooked, remove the strips,
chop them, and return them to the pot.
Asparagus Soup
Ingredients: Directions:
3½ pounds fresh asparagus 1. Cut off asparagus tips and set aside.
3 large yellow onions, chopped 2. Cut spears into 1-inch pieces, discarding the
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee tough ends.
5 cups homemade chicken stock or bone 3. Sauté onions in coconut oil or ghee until soft
broth and golden.
Celtic sea salt and/or Herbamare to taste
4. Bring broth to a low simmer. Add cooked onions
and asparagus spear pieces. Cook on low heat
until asparagus is soft.
5. Purée, then return to heat and add asparagus
tips. Add Herbamare and/or sea salt to taste.
6. Cook for 10 more minutes or just until tips are
no longer crisp.
Seafood Donabe
Ingredients: Directions:
1 strip kombu, 2 or 3 inches long 1. Soak kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms in
6 dried shiitake mushrooms 2½ cups of water in a traditional Japanese donabe
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon wheat-free pot or a shallow 10-inch braiser or heavy pot for
tamari several hours or overnight.
2½ cups filtered water 2. Remove mushrooms, slice, and return to pot.
1 teaspoon Herbamare Bring to a rapid simmer.
½ head cabbage, cut into 4 wedges 3. Add tamari, Herbamare, and wedges of cabbage.
2 carrots, cut on diagonal into 2-inch pieces Simmer 3 minutes.
1 small daikon, cut on diagonal into 2-inch 4. Reduce heat if necessary to maintain a gentle
pieces simmer and add remaining ingredients, arranging
½ block soft silken tofu, cut into ½-inch them attractively in the pot. Cover and cook for
cubes approximately 3 to 5 minutes or until mussels
1 small head broccoli, cut into bite-size open and the other seafood is cooked.
florets, stems removed 5. Taste broth and adjust tamari and Herbamare
1 handful of baby spinach if necessary.
2 pounds fresh sea bass, cut into 2-inch pieces
Donabe meals usually feed four people and are served
½ pound mussels (optional)
at the table, family-style. This version with fish and
12 medium, shelled, raw shrimp
shellfish is an impressive entrée for a special occasion.
12 scallops
8 scallions, chopped
This recipe is very popular as a breakfast soup. Fennel is an excellent digestive aid. Be sure to buy a
bulb of fennel that has a generous amount of the feathery tops, which look a lot like fresh dill. Use the
tops in this soup and save the bulb for later in another vegetable soup or a fresh salad.
This is one of our most popular soups, and is great to serve to even your most difficult-to-please guests.
It combines well with animal-protein or grain entrées. Make enough to have for several meals—it
disappears quickly in our families!
This tasty soup is non-dairy, uses no oil and is not overly sweet, as many carrot soups are. Add seasonings
at the end of cooking because prolonged boiling can diminish flavor. We recommend allowing the soup
to mellow overnight so that flavors have a chance to develop. If you can’t wait until tomorrow, you can
have a bowl today and serve the rest tomorrow!
If you are feeding a smaller group, this recipe is easily halved.
If you don’t have time to make your own stock, we recommend Marigold Organic Swiss Vegetable
Bouillon (yeast-free and gluten-free), which comes in a package of eight cubes or powder. It is widely
available in Australia and New Zealand or from amazon.com.
You should add the sea salt while stock is simmering to chelate the salt’s minerals into the rest of the
ingredients. This delicious noodle soup combines well with animal protein. Go vegetarian or add chopped
turkey sausage!
Gazpacho
Ingredients: Directions:
3 medium, ripe tomatoes 1. Blend all ingredients in a blender. Add water to
1 large cucumber desired consistency. Serve chilled.
¼ of a small onion 2. Season with the traditional flavors of parsley,
1 clove garlic sage, cilantro, and thyme.
1 stalk of celery
Tomatoes are an acid fruit, not really a vegetable.
1 large Reed avocado, seeded and peeled
We’ve included this recipe for tomato lovers, however,
1 large lemon, juiced they’re not for everyone. If tomatoes work for you,
Sea salt, to taste. you’ll enjoy this super easy, quick-to-fix, delicious
Filtered water summer soup.
Watercress Soup
Ingredients: Directions:
1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee 1. Heat coconut oil or ghee in a stockpot. Sauté
1 large onion, chopped onion until translucent. Add garlic and celery tops
5 garlic cloves, chopped and sauté gently for approximately 5 minutes more.
1 cup celery leaves 2. Add water, sea salt, and Herbamare and simmer
6 cups water for 10 minutes.
Celtic sea salt and Herbamare to taste 3. Purée soup with an immersion blender or a
1 bunch watercress, washed, chopped, large countertop blender until smooth. Return to
stems removed stockpot and season according to taste.
4. Drop watercress into soup and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and cover with a lid until ready
to serve.
A very elegant soup, and excellent to serve to dinner guests! This soup goes very well with animal-
protein meals, and starchy vegetables and grains. Watercress is especially healing for the liver.
An unusual blend of flavors, this soup is an 5. Return puréed soup to the saucepan and add
excellent winter warm-up. Celery is rich in sodium the mixed herbs. Correct seasonings if necessary
and supports adrenal health. and reheat gently.
6. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish each with a
sprinkling of celery seeds and the celery leaves.
Harvest Soup
Ingredients: Directions:
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee 1. Heat coconut oil or ghee in a stockpot. Sauté
1 large onion, chopped onion until translucent. Add other vegetables,
3 garlic cloves, minced curry powder, sea salt, Herbamare, and enough
water to cover. When vegetables are tender, purée
5 medium carrots, chopped
ingredients using an immersion blender or a coun-
3 red-skin potatoes, chopped
tertop blender. Return soup to the stockpot.
1 fennel bulb with stalk and leaves, chopped
2. If necessary, add more water to achieve desired
1 bunch of broccoli, stems chopped, florets
consistency. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
reserved for another use
Filtered water 3. Simmer for 10 minutes and serve.
Curry powder, to taste
Celtic sea salt and Herbamare, to taste
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Raw foods, including raw salads, are difficult to digest when you have a compromised
digestive tract. If this describes you then skip over many of the recipes in this section for
now. However salads are such a great way to obtain a variety of colorful vegetables in your
diet and they are so rich in enzymes, vitamins, and minerals that you’ll want to add them
to your diet as soon as you are able.
In spite of what many believe, salads do not have to have lettuce! Actually, lettuce is hard
to digest so if you are using it in a salad take the time to chop it into smaller pieces (as
in the famous “chopped salad” recipes). For easier digestion, make no-lettuce salads with
a combination of finely chopped raw veggies (carrots, cucumbers, celery, jicama) tossed
with coarsely chopped parboiled vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green
beans). Add your favorite salad dressing, of course. Oil-sensitive folks will find delicious
no-oil dressings throughout this section.
On hot summer days crisp, cool salads are ideal. And year-round, you can easily carry them
to work, with the dressing separate to add at the last moment. At Body Ecology, we are
constantly striving to create balance in every meal and foods can either be expansive or
contracting. If your body becomes contracted from eating too much salt or from a stressful
day, balance the feeling of being tense with an expansive salad. And if your body is too acidic,
an alkaline salad can be the perfect solution to come to the rescue.
Have your own salads gotten boring? We hope that after perusing our Body Ecology friendly
recipes that the great variety of available lettuces and land, ocean, and cultured vegetables
will inspire you. The more color, the better: fresh green broccoli, asparagus, and English peas;
yellow summer squash and onions; bright red bell peppers or radishes; cool white cucumber
or jicama! You can make grain salads with the four Body Ecology grains, as well as red-skin
potatoes, or protein salads with chopped salmon, tuna, chicken or turkey. Or mix some
soaked almonds, or sunflower or pumpkin seeds in with those veggie salads for extra crunch.
Tossing a spoonful or two of cultured vegetables into your salad provides an unexpected
but delicious burst of flavor. Raw cultured vegetables add color and zest to any salad. We
even add them to our mayonnaise and dressing recipes!
Please don’t forget those very special ocean vegetables. The recipe “Hijiki with Onions and
Carrots” (page 129) is delicious tossed into a leafy green lettuce and radicchio salad, then
OPTIONAL GREENS
(Use sparingly. These greens are either high in oxalates or are cruciferous vegetables
and can suppress the thyroid.)
Arugula Dandelion greens Spinach Watercress
Beet tops Radish tops Turnip tops
SPROUTS
Alfalfa Broccoli Radish Sunflower
Marinade:
3 tablespoons organic, unrefined flax or
pumpkin seed oil
1 tablespoon raw, organic apple cider vinegar
Celtic sea salt, to taste
Other raw ingredients can be added to the slaw, such as scallions, red bell peppers, celery, sliced daikon or red
radishes, dill, caraway or celery seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped parsley, chives, fennel, or other fresh herbs.
For a sweeter coleslaw, add several drops of Body Ecology’s stevia liquid concentrate to the mayonnaise
before tossing with the veggies.
Dressing:
1 lemon, juiced
Herbamare to taste
Dressing:
¼ cup organic, unfiltered olive oil
3 tablespoons raw, organic apple cider
vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Parboiled Salad
Salad: Directions:
Variety of lettuces, torn into bite-size pieces 1. Cut vegetables of your choice into pretty shapes
Vegetables of your choice, parboiled, (matchsticks, half-moons, flowers, stars). Use a
chopped: vegetable cutter if you wish.
Broccoli Peas 2. Parboil veggies in rapidly boiling salted water.
Cabbage Radishes When just tender, drain, immediately rinse in cold
Carrots Red onions water, and then chill.
Celery Scallions 3. Put lettuce and chilled vegetables in a bowl. Toss
Corn kernels String beans with salad dressing of your choice and serve.
Cucumbers Yellow squash
Daikon Zucchini
Kale
Did You Know?
Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage,
Vegetables are best when taken out of the water kale, broccoli, and cauliflower should
right after they have turned their brightest color be parboiled until tender and then
(e.g., when broccoli turns a beautiful bright green, chilled before using in a salad. Raw
and is tender but still crunchy). cruciferous vegetables suppress the
thyroid. On The Body Ecology Diet,
we love cruciferous vegetables, but we
ferment or cook them.
Totally free of carbohydrates, Miracle Noodles are made of shirataki, a favorite Japanese food because it
provides fiber for healthy digestion. This fiber is also called glucomannan or konjaku, and can now be
easily purchased here in the U.S. at grocery stores or www.miraclenoodle.com . It is used in weight loss
programs, and research shows it plays a role in regulation of blood sugar and cholesterol. In Stage 2 of
The Body Ecology Diet, this salad can be made with rice noodles.
Looking for something to bring to your summer get-togethers? This recipe is great for potlucks. If you
increase the amount of ingredients, do not increase the amount of stevia. Always be sure to test for taste.
½ cup red onion, finely chopped 3. Chill before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs.
½ cup dill, fennel, or parsley, minced
Add watercress, mustard, and 1 or 2 tablespoons of
¾ cup Classic Homemade Mayonnaise raw, organic apple cider vinegar, or herbs such as
(page 94) curry powder, garlic, Italian seasonings, etc. Toss in
Fresh dill or parsley sprigs for garnish several spoonsful of your favorite cultured veggie
blend to give this salad even more pizzazz—and, of
course, make it more digestible, too.
These same ingredients can be tossed with The Body
Ecology Diet Salad Dressing (page 94) instead of
the mayonnaise, and it’s even healthier.
Dollop of mayonnaise for each plate. Make 4. Spoon grapefruit and onion mixture onto the
Classic Homemade Mayonnaise (page 94) avocado slices. Garnish with arugula and a dollop
or use Follow Your Heart ™ Grapeseed Oil of mayonnaise, then chill or serve.
Vegenaise.
The only commercial mayonnaise that we can
recommend is Follow Your Heart (www.followyour-
heart.com). Be sure to use the variety made with
grapeseed oil.
Salad: Directions:
2 cups millet, cooked and chilled (see sidebar 1. Pour millet into a large mixing bowl then toss
on previous page) in chopped herbs, vegetables and vinegar.
1 cup fresh dill, chopped 2. Blend lemon juice, mint, and garlic in a high-
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped speed blender. Slowly add oil until emulsified.
1 cup fresh mint, chopped 3. Toss salad with dressing and serve.
½ cup fresh chives, chopped
1 cup red bell peppers, chopped Fresh herbs are abundant during the summer season.
1 cup zucchini, steamed, cooled Enjoy this delicious millet salad with herbs like mint
and chives as a side dish or even a main course. It
1 teaspoon raw, organic apple cider vinegar
packs really well for summertime picnics and
Dressing: cookouts. The dressing is great on other salads, too!
¼ to 1/ 3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed, or
to taste
½ cup organic, unfiltered olive oil or flax oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, minced
Celtic sea salt, to taste
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Organic, unrefined seed and nut oils are raw and cold-pressed. They are processed with an
amazing amount of care. Organic seeds and nuts such as flax, pumpkin, evening primrose,
borage, and walnuts are gently pressed to release their oils. The oils are never exposed to
light or oxygen, and have no preservatives. They are packaged in light-proof bottles and are
each stamped with an expiration date. Because they are stronger and more flavorful than
the oils you grew up eating, they may take some getting used to. Most people love their rich
taste and would never go back to refined, “plasticized” oils.
Flax seed oil is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acid, but fish oil is a more reliable
one. We don’t often use fish oil in a salad dressing but some brands can work without a
fishy taste, so try them! We tend to be very deficient in omega-3 fatty acids today. Omega-
3 is easily destroyed by heat, so we never cook with it. Unrefined canola oil (made from
rapeseed) is another source of omega-3s but we do not use it because of its strong, bitter
flavor. The commercial canola oil you see everywhere these days has no color or flavor,
so you know it is refined.
Extra-virgin olive oil enjoys high praise among nutritionists, and many people report that
they digest it well. Extra virgin means it’s unrefined. Many stores sell high-quality, extra-
virgin, unrefined olive oil. Olive oil has only small amounts of omega-3 essential fatty acids
and has much more omega-9, which has heart protective properties. You can use it generously
on The Body Ecology Diet.
If you really want to know which oils are best for your unique body, take a nutritional
genomics test from a company such as Pathway Genomics (www.pathwaygenomics.com),
Fitgenes (www.fitgenes.com), or smartDNA (www.smart.dna.com.au/public). Interestingly,
some people find olive oil highly beneficial to their genes and others find it is only neutral.
A small subset of people does not seem to do well on olive oil at all and as the science around
nutritional genomics becomes better understood we should soon know why.
2. If you are giving your liver and gallbladder a rest with a cleansing program that elim-
inates oils.
Both of these situations call for a no-oil dressing. You’ve probably seen such dressings in
stores, but you may not know how to make one. The solution is a gel fiber called xanthan
gum. Simply remove the oil from any favorite dressing recipe, substitute an equal amount
of water and a little xanthan gum to thicken, and add a variety of herbs and seasonings!
Once you become familiar with xanthan gum, you’ll soon be creating dressings of your
own. Our recipes are simply guidelines to stimulate your own creativity.
This recipe appears in The Body Ecology Diet and is adapted from The American Vegetarian Cookbook
from the Fit for Life Kitchen, a masterpiece by Marilyn Diamond. While Marilyn has included it in
her book as an alternative to mayonnaise made with eggs, we think it’s an excellent party dip or snack
food when served with raw vegetables.
If you have trouble digesting oil, eliminate the oil completely and increase the water.
Ginger Dressing
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
2 tablespoons raw, organic apple cider 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
vinegar ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari ½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon organic, unfiltered olive oil Celtic sea salt, to taste
Because this dressing contains dairy, it is not recommended in Stage 1 of The Body Ecology Diet.
You can refrigerate leftover dressing for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.
Italian Dressing
Ingredients: 1/ 8 teaspoon white pepper
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a jar; cover tightly and shake vigorously.
2. Adjust seasonings to taste. Chill thoroughly.
Directions:
1. Blend all ingredients except xanthan gum.
2. Add xanthan gum and blend or shake well. Refrigerate overnight.
Directions:
1. Blend all ingredients except xanthan gum.
2. Add xanthan gum and blend or shake well. Refrigerate overnight.
Mustard Vinaigrette
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon dried basil
½ cup raw, organic apple cider vinegar Celtic sea salt, to taste
¼ cup organic, unfiltered olive oil
¼ cup walnut oil Walnut oil is a nice substitute for olive oil in this
2 tablespoons coarse mustard recipe!
Tangy Vinaigrette
Ingredients: Directions:
2 tablespoons raw, organic apple cider vinegar After blending, allow the flavors to marry for 4
3 tablespoons organic, unfiltered olive oil hours in the refrigerator before tossing with salad
3 tablespoons walnut oil and serving.
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Celtic sea salt, to taste
Watercress Dressing
Ingredients: Directions:
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed After blending the first 5 ingredients, stir in the
1 tablespoon raw, organic apple cider vinegar finely chopped watercress by hand.
¼ cup organic, unfiltered olive oil
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
Celtic sea salt, to taste
1 bunch watercress, finely chopped
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Soups, especially creamy soups, such as Broccoli and Fresh Fennel (page 54) and our Creamy
Dilled Cauliflower (page 56) make wonderful sauces. You can jazz up the dilled cauliflower
soup by adding shiitake mushrooms and use it as a base in many recipes, even some of your
old family favorites.
Reserve a few cups of the Oil-Free Carrot and Cauliflower Soup (page 55), add a tablespoon
(or more) of whole-grain mustard, and serve it as a delicious new sauce. It’s very good
over steamed vegetables!
This sauce has many uses. Try it as a basting liquid for chicken or when grilling fish or shrimp, or
as the name suggests, use as a dipping sauce for oven-roasted veggies. It’s also quite delicious poured
on top of anything, especially grain-like seeds (quinoa, millet and buckwheat). TIP: Do not reheat
sauce over high heat after you add the oil. Heating pumpkinseed oil will destroy its healing properties.
Directions:
1. Sauté onions in the coconut oil or ghee. Add remaining ingredients to the sauté pan except
arrowroot. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add arrowroot mixture and stir well. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm or chilled
Pesto
Ingredients: Directions:
3 to 4 cups fresh basil 1. Purée ingredients in a blender until very
¾ cup organic, unrefined olive oil or smooth.
pumpkin seed oil 2. Serve over noodles, grains, red potatoes, a
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt salad, or a platter of vegetables.
Zest of 1 lemon
1 lemon, juiced
3 to 4 garlic cloves
½ cup flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon lecithin
We don’t recommend tomatoes in large amounts in Stage 1 of The Body Ecology Diet, so we created
this recipe for those who love tomato sauce. Adding apple cider vinegar at the end of cooking will
more closely duplicate the acidic quality of a tomato sauce. The small amount of beet in this recipe
is added merely for color and will not cause a problem with candida or blood sugar. This sauce is
great over millet or buckwheat croquettes! Later, on special occasions you can use it on top of a
gluten-free pizza crust. No one will even know the difference.
This delicious recipe is greatly enhanced by the sautéed onions and shiitake mushrooms, which
give the gravy that rich, umami taste! It’s perfect for special occasions, such as Thanksgiving and
other holidays when a traditional gravy is needed. You can also make the gravy without the onions
and shiitakes if your meal is lighter or more casual.
Ladle this fragrant compote onto a dinner plate and top with a fillet of your favorite white fish
or salmon.
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Vegetables are Nature’s gift of abundance. They are not only the most abundant foods on
Earth; they’re the most perfect foods nature has given us. They are rich in the vitamins and
minerals your body needs to heal, and their colors, textures, and shapes add excitement to
any meal. Whether your favorite veggies are from the land or the ocean, we’ve included
recipes that are sure to please!
Keeping It Clean!
Cleaning your store-bought veggies is a must, but a simple rinsing isn’t enough
to remove pesticides or other residue. You can purchase a vegetable wash from
your local health food store or you can make your own using apple cider vinegar.
Here’s how:
In a standard spray bottle mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water. Spray
your fruits or vegetables and let them sit about 4 to 5 minutes, then rinse and
dry. Larger amounts of produce like kale, Brussels sprouts or cabbage can be
soaked in a bowl of water with an equal amount of apple cider vinegar for several
minutes. Rinse before preparation or storage.
If you’ve purchased organic fruits and vegetables they don’t need washing. A
healthy “biofilm” will have formed on the surface that was created by the
beneficial bacteria and yeast to protect the plant while it was growing. This
biofilm contains beneficial bacteria that will help create a robust diversity of
beneficial microbes in your digestive tract. The visible white layer of film on a
plum, for example, is a biofilm.
Non-starchy vegetables form excellent combinations with just about every other food.
They’re alkalizing, full of vital nutrients and antioxidants, and are protective against all
diseases, even cancer. Combine them with oil, butter, or ghee; animal protein or eggs; grains,
grain-like seeds or nuts and seeds; or starchy veggies like acorn squash or red potatoes. Even
sour fruits such as lemons or limes go well with non-starchy vegetables. Basically, they should
be eaten at every meal including breakfast!
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee 2. Lower heat and add coconut oil or ghee to
the empty carrot pan. Add the orange
¼ to ½ teaspoon Frontier Herb orange
flavoring, orange zest, and stevia to taste.
flavoring or a few drops of essential ther-
apeutic orange oil 3. Gently toss the carrots in the orange
mixture then turn off the heat. Add the
Zest of one small orange
parsley, Herbamare and lemon juice, toss
Body Ecology’s stevia liquid concentrate, 4
again, and serve immediately.
to 6 drops or to taste
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Herbamare to taste
Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients: Directions:
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and peeled 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee 2. Toss asparagus with garlic and coconut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or ghee.
Celtic sea salt, to taste 3. Arrange asparagus spears on a rimmed
baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast,
turning occasionally, until asparagus is tender,
approximately 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
Red Slaw
Ingredients: Directions:
16 cups red cabbage, shredded, parboiled, Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and toss
chilled thoroughly.
4 cups carrots, sliced
This makes a picnic-worthy quantity, but if your
1 cup green onion, chopped crowd is small you can easily halve the recipe.
2 tablespoons garlic cloves, minced
3 cups raw, organic apple cider vinegar
1 cup organic, unfiltered olive oil
Celtic sea salt to taste
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, cored and 3. Spread sprouts evenly on a baking sheet
quartered and roast until cores are tender, approximately
25 minutes. Stir sprouts and rotate pan
halfway through cooking time. Serve hot.
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped 2. In a medium bowl mix the coconut oil or
ghee with the spices. Add the Brussels sprouts,
1 teaspoon raw, organic balsamic vinegar
and turn to coat evenly.
½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt or Herbamare
to taste 3. Spread the sprouts in a single layer on the
grill pan. Grill until crisp-tender, about10 to 15
Zest of 1 lemon
minutes. Turn the sprouts several times, keeping
the lid on the grill closed as much as possible.
When you grill Brussels sprouts until they are
barely tender, they develop a lovely, subtle 4. Transfer to a serving bowl and add the
sweetness. Look for the smallest buds possible lemon zest and balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat
so that they cook quickly, or cut them in half. evenly. Season with sea salt or Herbamare.
Serve warm.
Simmered Greens
Ingredients: Directions:
1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee 1. In a large stockpot, melt coconut oil or ghee
1 red onion, sliced and sauté onions until soft. Add garlic, ginger,
and greens. Continue to cook for 3 to 5
2 garlic cloves, crushed
minutes, or until greens darken in color.
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2. Add stock and water. Bring to a boil and
2 bunches collard greens, stems removed
boil for 1 minute. Lower heat to medium and
and roughly chopped
allow to simmer for 20 minutes, or until about
1 quart homemade vegetable stock half of the water evaporates.
(page 57)
3. Add cabbage and cook an additional 20
2 cups filtered water minutes, or until cabbage is thoroughly
1 head cabbage, thinly sliced cooked and most of the cooking liquids have
evaporated.
Starchy vegetables can provide a hearty, comforting meal that really hits the spot, especially
during cold winter months! You can enjoy red-skin new potatoes, water chestnuts, winter
squash, artichokes, Jerusalem artichokes, and English peas as entrees, but take care to combine
them only with the four B.E.D. grain-like seeds and non-starchy vegetables. Red-skin potatoes
are the only potatoes on The Body Ecology Diet (feel free to eat the skins). Sweet corn is
only mildly starchy when cooked; when eaten raw, it is a non-starchy vegetable. Lima beans
digest best when combined with non-starchy veggies. Remember to never eat too many
starchy veggies in one meal, and do limit yourself to one helping of grain. If you’re still
hungry, eat more alkaline-forming land or ocean vegetables.
With the exception of sushi, most of us have had little experience with eating “seaweed,”
which is unfortunate because there is so much good packed into even a small amount of
ocean veggies! Unlike our depleted soil, the sea is rich in minerals and trace elements. Vegetables
harvested from the ocean are a significant source of calcium, magnesium and iron, and they’re
one of the few vegetable sources of vitamin B12. Also, red and green seaweeds are the best
inexpensive source to provide your daily iodine requirements. Rich in soluble fiber, ocean
vegetables can help you feel full, aid your digestive processes, and promote the growth of
microflora in your gut. You will be very surprised by how tasty these gifts from the sea can
be. We encourage you to be adventurous and try these wonderful recipes!
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Try to eat a meal with these grain-like seeds (with vegetables, of course!) at least once a day.
When soaked and then cooked with herbs, vegetables, and seasonings, these healing grains
become even more flavorful.
As a rule, soaking these grains in water for 8 hours before cooking is a must to remove the
phytic acid. Doing so makes them easier to digest. Be sure to wash them well: quinoa has a
bitter outer coating, and millet tends to carry a lot of “dirt.” Use a very fine mesh strainer
(particularly for amaranth and quinoa), and rinse these seeds under running water for a
couple of minutes before cooking.
The basic water-to-grain/seed ratio is 2 to 1 for quinoa and buckwheat, although it can vary
according to taste, recipe, and method of cooking (e.g., pressure cooker). A 3 to 1 ratio of
water-to-grain/seed is better for amaranth and millet.
You will add sea salt to most of these grain dishes, but salt is particularly important when
cooking buckwheat. Buckwheat is acid forming and needs salt in the cooking water to make
it more alkaline. Of course we recommend Celtic sea salt from Selina Naturally™!
For summertime lunches, toss pre-cooked millet or quinoa into a fresh green salad or with
a cooked vegetable dish served at room temperature.
You can make any number of sauces from puréed Body Ecology soups, such as Creamy
Dilled Cauliflower (page 56), or try Annmarie’s Gingery Carrot Sauce (page 109). Spoon
them over any of the grain-like seeds and enjoy!
When you have a systemic candida infection, your oxalate consumption should be minimized.
Some people will need to avoid them entirely. While the connection between oxalates and
yeast infections is not yet fully understood, having candidaisis makes you more sensitive to
oxalates and eating them can make your symptoms more acute. The Body Ecology Diet is
a sugar-free, gluten-free probiotic diet that will help you conquer the candidiasis. Until you
do your motto is: Don’t count calories, count oxalates.
Foods high in oxalates include chocolate, spinach, unfermented soy foods, sweet potatoes,
nuts and seeds. Ideally they should be completely avoided. These foods are also very high in
copper. If you suffer from Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism, they can disrupt the balance
between zinc and copper causing a zinc deficiency and symptoms of fatigue and hypothyroidism.
For more information, we suggest reading Why Am I Always So Tired? by Anne Louise Gittleman.
Because they are seeds, quinoa, millet, amaranth and buckwheat are also high in oxalates,
which is why we have included this information on oxalates in this section. In the beginning
you may want to skip these grain-like seeds altogether. See how you feel when you eat them.
However, avoiding the oxalates in the four nourishing grain-like seeds is simple: first soak
Oxalates are best known for causing kidney stones, but other common symptoms include
extreme fatigue, fibromyalgia, and pain (especially in the eye, muscles and joints, and when
urinating). Sandy stools are another sign of oxalate damage. People with COPD, asthma,
cystic fibrosis, Hashimoto’s disease, hypothyroidism, vulvodynia or genital pain should be
on a low-oxalate diet.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Soak seeds 8 hours or overnight in water, pour off soaking water, rinse and drain.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add sea salt.
3. Add soaked grain-like seeds to boiling water.
4. Cook for appropriate amount of time (see cooking times below) then drain into a colander
that has very small holes. Rinse under hot water if desired. They are now ready to eat.
5. Quinoa and millet can also be placed in a hot cast iron skillet at this point and roasted if
desired.
Basic Buckwheat
Ingredients: Directions:
1 cup buckwheat, soaked for at least 8 hours 1. Rinse soaked buckwheat in a strainer.
2 cups filtered water 2. Bring water and salt to a boil in a saucepan.
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt, or to taste 3. Add buckwheat, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer
until all the water is absorbed, approximately 15
minutes.
For a rich, nutty flavor, toast buckwheat (with or without organic, unrefined coconut oil or ghee) in a
skillet, stirring constantly, before adding to the water.
Basic Millet
Ingredients: Directions:
1 cup millet, soaked for at least 8 hours 1. Rinse soaked millet in a strainer.
3 cups filtered water 2. Bring water and salt to a boil.
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt, or to taste 3. Add millet, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for
25 to 30 minutes.
4. To increase fluffiness, remove from heat and let
stand covered for 5 to 10 minutes.
For an even more delicious flavor, roast millet in a heavy skillet until millet has a nutty aroma. For fluffy
millet, boil water and salt before adding millet. If you start grains or grain-like seeds in cold water, they
become creamier and sticky.
1 to 1 1/ 3 cups filtered water 4. Add egg-yolk mixture to the flour mixture and
whisk until a smooth, pourable batter forms. Add
water if batter is too thick.
5. In separate bowl, beat egg whites until they
form soft peaks. Fold egg whites into batter by
hand; do not overmix.
6. Using a glass or plastic measuring cup (aluminum
causes batter to break down), pour about 1 cup of
batter evenly into all areas of waffle iron.
6. Waffles should cook in 10 to 14 minutes. Check
the waffles when steam stops rising from waffle
iron. They should be crisp and brown. Cool extra
waffles on wire rack.
Waffles, like any flour-based food, should be an occasional meal. They go nicely with vegetable soup at
any time of day. We even use them to make sandwiches with Classic Homemade Mayonnaise (page
94) and a variety of roasted or grilled veggies! The waffles freeze well or they can be kept for several
days in the refrigerator.
½ red bell pepper, minced 3. Remove from heat, fold in parsley, and allow
to stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
4 cups vegetable stock (page 57) or water
1¼ teaspoons Celtic sea salt This recipe is a hearty vegetarian meal, great for
1 tablespoon organic meatloaf seasoning, cold weather!
or similar, to taste We like the extensive selection of organic herbs,
2 cups roasted buckwheat, soaked for spices, and blends made by Spicely Organics
8 hours (spicely.com).Their meatloaf blend is excellent in
¼ to ½ cup parsley, minced this stew!
With its sweet vegetables (onions, carrots, and butternut squash), this dish strengthens the spleen/pancreas
and stomach. For the first two to three months on The Body Ecology Diet, you may find that butternut
squash is too sweet and feeds candida. If so, leave the butternut squash out of this recipe. The onions
and carrots will not cause any problems. Better yet, if you eat cultured veggies with this meal, the
microflora will eat up the sugar in the squash!
For a creamier consistency, purée the millet and vegetable mixture with coconut oil or ghee in a blender.
You can also add one 3-inch strip of kombu to the pressure cooker with the millet and vegetables. The
dish will not be as sweet, but it will have extra minerals.
For a bit more color and a slight change in flavor, add 1 medium chopped carrot when sautéing cauliflower.
For a fancier presentation, cook 4 eggs sunny side up in a tablespoon of coconut oil or ghee. Place an egg on
top of each quinoa mold and sprinkle the crispy garlic and ginger on the egg whites.
To bring out more delicious corn flavor, replace the 6 cups of water in the recipe with corn stock. Cut the
fresh corn off the cob and simmer the cut corn and the corn cobs in 7 cups of water for 20 minutes. Discard
the cobs, purée the stock, and it’s ready to use.
If you’d like an Italian-flavored dish instead, you can use 1 tablespoon of Frontier Herbs Italian Seasoning
instead of the Mexican Blend. Exchange the corn and green chile for zucchini and shiitake mushrooms.
Curried Quinoa
Ingredients: Directions:
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee 1. Heat coconut oil or ghee in a skillet. Add onions,
2 medium onions, diced curry powder and sea salt or Herbamare. Sauté
for several minutes until onions are translucent.
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt or Herbamare 2. Add your choice of cooked vegetables. Sauté
for several minutes, or until heated through. Stir
2 cups vegetables, cooked (such as peas,
in cooked quinoa and adjust seasonings.
corn, red-skin potatoes, red bell pepper,
cabbage, yellow squash)
2 cups quinoa, soaked for 8 hours and
cooked
¼ cup minced parsley 4. Fold in cooked quinoa, and sauté until heated.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Add Herbamare
Herbamare or Celtic sea salt, to taste
before serving.
Quinoa Pilaf
Ingredients: Directions:
3 tablespoons coconut oil, unsalted butter 1. Sauté shallots in oil, butter or ghee until slightly
or ghee translucent.
3 small shallots, finely minced 2. While shallots cook, heat broth to the boiling
1¼ teaspoons sea salt, divided point and set aside.
4 cups homemade vegetable stock 3. Add minced carrot and sea salt to shallots and
(page 57) cook for 3 minutes. Stir in quinoa, saffron, and
1 cup quinoa, soaked for 8 hours, rinsed saffron soaking water. Slowly add hot stock to
pan. Cover, turn heat to lowest setting and cook
1 pinch saffron, steeped in ¼ cup hot
for 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.
(not boiling) water
4. Remove from heat, add peas and stir in parsley.
½ carrot, finely minced
Allow the steam to cook peas and parsley for a
½ frozen organic peas few seconds before serving.
1 bunch parsley, chopped
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Many people do not produce the necessary enzymes to properly break down and metabolize
their animal protein meals. If that’s you, be sure to always use digestive enzymes with
hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin, and pancreatic enzymes that work in the small intestine.
(Assist for Protein and Dairy™ and Assist SI™ are two enzyme blends made by Body Ecology.)
Cooking protein properly is extremely important to ensure that you digest it and obtain the
full nutritional value from eating it. We’ve been told that protein must be cooked through
completely until it’s well done to kill any germs or parasites, but doing so makes it rubbery
and difficult to digest. This concern started when the USDA realized that commercially raised
animals are often sick and contaminated with toxins from their feed and from medications.
But animals raised in stress-free, healthy environments are usually free from illness and
parasites so that bacteria should not be a concern if the food is refrigerated and stored properly.
Eating fermented vegetables with your meals and drinking probiotic beverages like Inner-
gyBiotic™ and CocoBiotic™ not only ensure better digestion of your protein meals, their
beneficial bacteria and yeast will help protect against pathogenic bacteria and parasites that
might be present. We highly recommend that you always include something fermented with
every protein meal, even eggs.
On The Body Ecology Diet, we also recommend cooking low and slow. When cooking a
steak, a burger or a lamb chop, medium rare is preferable. Roast chicken thoroughly at 275
degrees. Gauge the cooking time depending on the cut of the poultry. When it turns very
light pink inside, take it out it of the oven and set it aside. The residual heat will finish the
cooking and it will be very tender and delicious. To be sure your poultry is cooked to perfection,
insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat: properly cooked breast
meat is 160 degrees and leg and thigh meat, 175 degrees. Another way to ensure tender chicken
is to brine it in saltwater for 45 minutes to an hour before cooking. Brining is a technique
that increases the moisture and tenderness of the meat. It’s similar to marinating because
the meat’s cells absorb and retain the water, making it very moist and flavorful when cooked.
Grilling (aka barbecuing) meats is a time-honored cooking method, especially in the U.S.
However, you should be aware that high-heat cooking of meats, including frying, forms
highly carcinogenic chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Luckily, on The Body
Ecology Diet there are two ways to combat their effects.
Second, eat fermented cruciferous vegetables with your grilled foods. Cruciferous veggies
contain sulforaphane (see sidebar), a chemical compound that helps the body detoxify and
rid itself of HCAs. Unfortunately, regular cooking
methods destroy an important anti-cancer enzyme
called myrosinase, a precursor to the production Eat Your
of sulforaphane. The solution? Fermenting!
Sulforaphanes!
Fermented veggies top the list of HCA-fighting
foods. Fermenting cruciferous veggies like kale, Sulforaphane, found in cruciferous
cabbage, and broccoli also pre-digests the vegetables, has many benefits in
vegetables and increases the bio-availability of addition to battling HCAs. It has been
their vitamins and minerals a hundredfold. shown to help control type 2 diabetes,
lower cholesterol, and protect the brain
Bottom line, both grilled and fried foods contain from depression. Research has also
dangerous HCAs and if you want to live a longer, shown that sulforaphane prevents
healthier life it’s best to eliminate all fried foods breast, colon, and prostate cancers,
from your diet. But if you love grilling, do it from and may even help those suffering
time to time but always marinate the meat, fish, from COPD. It can help control H.
or poultry before putting it on the fire and be pylori, which is linked to the devel-
sure that fermented veggies are part of your meal. opment of ulcers and cancer of the
stomach. It also expresses a gene called
The Japanese eat raw fish as a staple of their diet
Nrf2, thought by many researchers to
and in recent years sushi and sashimi have become
be a “master controller of aging.”
very popular here in the U.S. Raw fish is much
easier to digest than cooked fish, so you’re actually You can buy sulforaphane as a
obtaining more bio-available protein. To kill any supplement but it is obviously more
parasites or bacteria, freeze raw fish for a minimum delicious to eat the foods that provide
of 48 hours, then defrost. Slice the fish into small it! Broccoli has the most, but broccoli
pieces and serve with low-sodium, wheat-free seeds are an even richer source. So pile
tamari and a delicious bowl of miso soup made on the cruciferous vegetables and be
with the sea vegetables wakame and kombu. And certain to add the fermented veggies
please don’t forget the cultured vegetables. whenever you serve grilled meats.
1 teaspoon wasabi powder or Chinese 5. Dissolve wasabi in the tamari, add ginger, and
five spice stir into the garlic and scallions.
1 teaspoon wheat-free tamari 6. Add the shirataki noodles, beef, and broccoli
Herbamare, if desired and toss until combined. Season with Herbamare
if desired.
Apple Cider Vinaigrette, to taste (page 95) This is the perfect healthy recipe to use those leftovers
Romaine lettuce leaves after your Thanksgiving meal!
Pumpkin seed oil
When these juicy no-bun burgers are made with dark turkey meat they have more natural fatty acids
than those made with white meat.
Spanish Shrimp
Ingredients: Directions:
½ pound of fresh or frozen raw shrimp 1. Peel and devein the shrimp.
2 tablespoons of olive oil 2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
½ red onion, sliced into rings Add the remaining ingredients, except shrimp,
½ yellow onion, sliced into rings and sauté for 5 minutes.
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 3. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes, stirring
often.
1 teaspoon wheat-free tamari
1 pinch of sea salt
1 pinch of Herbamare
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped 3. Sprinkle the salmon with red pepper flakes and
sea salt.
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 six-ounce salmon steaks, 1 inch thick 4. Grill salmon for 3 or 4 minutes on each side,
turning once.
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt, to taste 5. Top with corn salsa and serve.
¼ cup fresh cilantro 2. Place planks on the grill. Grill, covered, for
about 10 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily
½ cup olive oil
with a fork.
1 garlic clove, chopped
3. Purée cilantro, oil, garlic, lime juice, red pepper
Juice of 1 lime
flakes, Lakanto, and 1 tablespoon hot water in a
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes blender until smooth.
1 teaspoon Lakanto
4. Spoon the cilantro sauce over fillets and serve.
Filtered water
Celtic sea salt
Using a Thermometer
When cooking meat, the use of a thermometer is highly recommended. There are several
types available. The classic meat thermometer is inserted in the meat and left in place
during cooking. Instant-read thermometers can be used to determine food temperatures
quickly during any stage of cooking. Both analog and digital types are available. Choose
a thermometer that suits your style of cooking and follow the manufacturer’s directions
to ensure food safety and the most flavorful meats. Be sure that your thermometer is for
meat and not for candy or appliances.
Bone Broth
Ingredients: Directions:
2 pounds assorted bones from free-range, 1. Place bones in a large stockpot and cover with
organically raised, grass-fed animals filtered water. Add apple cider vinegar or wine
1 gallon filtered water and slowly bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat
to a low simmer.
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or wine
2. Periodically skim residue from the surface as it
You can save bones from your own kitchen or rises.
purchase some from your local butcher. Larger 3. Larger bones (beef) can simmer for 12 to 72
bones should be cut into pieces. Try to use a hours. Smaller bones (poultry) can cook for 6 to
variety that can offer the benefits of both yellow 48 hours.
and red marrow. Yellow marrow is in the center 4. Keep broth covered while cooking. Add water,
of long bones. It gives fat and flavor. Red marrow if necessary.
is found in flat bones. It provides stem cell factors
5. Strain broth and discard bones.
to boost immunity.
6. Allow to cool then refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Delicious, mineral-rich bone broth contains Retain the fat layer on top until broth is used. The
collagen to help make your skin supple and broth can also be frozen.
reduce cellulite.
7. Use as a recipe base or sip as a beverage.
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Fermented foods and drinks are the “rock stars” of The Body Ecology Diet. The basic
recipes for making fermented vegetables, coconut kefir and milk kefir are included here
but you’ll find even more information on fermented foods and drinks at
www.bodyecology.com. Because they are so vital in your journey toward health and
healing we encourage you to learn more. Our hope is that you’ll become familiar with
making them (it’s easy!) and begin to enjoy them with each and every meal.
Be sure to check the labels for live probiotic value if you are purchasing any fermented foods
from a store.
Fermented foods are pre-digested by bacteria and yeast, making their nutrients easier for
the gut to break down and absorb. The standard American diet, which tends toward high-
carbohydrate, acidic, mineral-deficient, processed foods made with bad fats, combined with
As friendly bacteria consume the sugars that are naturally found in raw vegetables, fruits
and dairy foods, they produce lactic acid, which
contributes to the sour taste of fermented foods.
Lactic acid released into the gut controls intestinal First Try This
candida overgrowth. Research also shows that the
lactic-acid bacteria in fermented foods stop intestinal Taking probiotic supplements has
inflammation and helps heal a permeable gut lining. become very trendy. They are certainly
of great value, but we suggest adding
Cultured vegetables, young coconut kefir and the fermented foods to your diet even
other fermented foods we recommend will become before taking a probiotic supplement.
important tools in your journey toward healing. The hardier beneficial microbes in
fermented foods are well equipped to
Fermented foods have a long list of benefits. They set up residence in your digestive tract
support healthy digestion. They help balance your and change the environment of your
immune system and can play a very important role intestines. They help create the right
in detoxification. They contribute to brain health balance of microbes and clear the way
and support positive mental and emotional well- for the more fragile probiotics to thrive
being. They have long been credited for helping those there. In the inner ecosystem, it’s all
who eat them live longer, healthier happier lives. about balance.
The key to making a successful batch of beautiful, brightly colored cultured veggies is to use
freshly harvested, organic vegetables. Wash them thoroughly and blot off excess water. Clean
equipment is essential! Scald everything you use in very hot water.
Vegetables can be cut by hand or with a mandoline but a food processor is much faster and
works well for firm vegetables like cabbage, carrots, daikon, onions, etc.
How to Make Fermented Vegetables. Use this easy method and the microbial-
enriched brine to make all of the fermented veggie recipes in this section.
1. Choose one of the fermented veggie recipes 5. Roll up several reserved cabbage leaves into
below. a tight “logs” and fit into the top of each jar
2. Combine all cut or shredded veggies in a large to fill the space. Place lid on each jar. While
mixing bowl. fermenting, the vegetables should always be
3. Add brine (see below) to veggie mixture, under the liquid brine. If you need to add
mixing well. more liquid to your shredded vegetables once
they are packed into the jars just add a little
4. Pack vegetables into 1-quart wide-mouth
more filtered water.
Mason jars, leaving about 2 inches of space
at the top so that veggies can expand. Push 6. Let veggies sit for 7 days at room temperature
down on veggies as if you were attempting to (70 to 72 degrees). You can refrigerate the jars
push all the air out of the jar. to slow down fermentation.
7. Enjoy with each meal!
Kefir is a cultured and microbial-rich food that helps restore your inner ecology. Its beneficial
strains of bacteria and yeasts maintain a symbiotic relationship that gives kefir antibiotic prop-
erties. Both coconut kefir and milk kefir share the same strains of beneficial bacteria and yeast
but, of course, one is made from milk and the other from coconut water.
Either can be made with “grains” or a culture starter. We have found that a starter is more
convenient because once the kefir is made the grains must be removed from the milk or the
coconut water and transferred in order to start the next batch. In between uses, the grains
must be stored in fresh milk to survive and if you travel or don’t use them within a week the
bacteria will die off without a fresh supply of milk or coconut water to feed upon. As they are
transferred from batch to batch the grains can also be easily contaminated. However, if you
make large batches of kefir it is more economical to purchase grains online.
Young coconut kefir is an important probiotic, alkalizing and mineral-rich fermented food. You
should begin drinking it in Stage 1 of The Body Ecology Diet. You’ll soon find that with its abundance
of exceptionally powerful and beneficial microbiota, it will help you to quickly establish your inner
ecosystem. Young coconut kefir and coconut kefir cheese have no casein. They introduce dairy-
loving bacteria into the intestines so that if you eventually choose to drink kefir made from milk,
you’ll have a much better chance of tolerating it—if it’s introduced slowly and in small amounts.
Ingredients:
1½ quarts of water from approximately 3 young coconuts
Body Ecology’s Kefir Starter and/or Veggie Culture Starter
Directions:
1. Extract the water from several young coconuts using the method on page 177.
2. Pour the coconut water into a saucepan and heat to 92 degrees. Use a cooking thermometer to
check the temperature, or wash your hands well and dip your finger into the coconut water to test.
At 92 degrees, it won’t feel either hot or cold, much the same as testing baby formula. Do not
overheat! A temperature above 105 degrees will kill the microbiota and most of the enzymes and
vitamins will be destroyed.
3. Add 1 packet of Body Ecology’s Kefir Starter to the warmed coconut water. The Kefir Starter
contains different strains of Lactobacillus as well as beneficial yeast. (Body Ecology’s Veggie Culture
Starter can be used instead of the kefir starter or in addition to the kefir starter to add L. plantarum,
a very beneficial bacterium that makes folate.)
4. Pour coconut water with starter into a glass container with tight-fitting lid. (The water from
three coconuts will usually fill a 1.5 quart jar.) Tighten the lid on the jar and shake vigorously.
Young coconut kefir is a discovery unique to Body Ecology. It quickly became one of our favorite
medicinal drinks! It stops cravings for sugar, aids in the digestion of all foods, while toning and
cleansing the intestines and the liver. We’ve had many reports of it easing aches and joint pains,
clearing up skin problems, improving vision, making hair and nails healthier because of its high
mineral content (potassium, natural sodium, and chloride), and helping to cleanse the endocrine
system (adrenals, thyroid, pituitary, ovaries).
Coconut water kefir does not thicken like milk kefir. It is ready when it becomes cloudy and an
effervescent layer forms on the top. The taste is slightly tart and tangy, while some of the original
sweetness remains.
TO EXTRACT THE COCONUT MEAT: After the coconut water is removed, lay the nut
on its side on a solid surface. Strike the coconut in the center with one strong stroke
using a cleaver or knife. If the coconut doesn’t split open, tap the cleaver blade with
a mallet until it does. (If this doesn’t work well for you, you can find other methods
on the internet.) If the spoon meat is not white, discard it. Scoop the meat from the
coconut with a flexible spatula or spoon. Rinse the spoon meat to remove any flecks
of shell or fibers.
The Body Ecology Diet generally recommends avoiding dairy products in Stage 1 because milk
contains a mucus-forming sugar called lactose that feeds yeast. Because it is fermented, however,
milk kefir does not feed yeast, and it usually doesn’t even bother people who are lactose intolerant.
The friendly bacteria and the beneficial yeast growing in the milk kefir consume most of the lactose
and provide very efficient enzymes (lactase) for consuming whatever lactose is still left after the
culturing process. Yes, kefir is mucus-forming, but only slightly, if you follow some simple food-
combining rules (page 182).
And here’s the best part: the slightly mucus-forming quality is exactly what makes milk kefir work
for many of us. The mucus has a “clean” quality to it that coats the lining of the digestive tract,
creating a sort of nest where beneficial bacteria can settle and colonize. This makes the other
probiotics you may be taking even more potent; they now have a better chance to take hold and
proliferate in your intestines.
Once your leaky, permeable gut has healed (12 to 16 weeks on The Diet), you may be able to drink
milk kefir. Start with about four ounces in the morning on an empty stomach but dilute it with
water, or better yet, a few ounces of CocoBiotic™ or InnergyBiotic™. Every week increase the
amount until you are able to drink more, but ideally 4 ounces is enough each day. Children can
have more. Think of clever ways to use those 4 to 6 ounces. For instance, you can add it to your
morning smoothie or whip some fresh or dried herbs into the kefir to make a dip for raw vegetables.
It’s also delicious as the base for a salad dressing.
reasons why Russians are some of the healthiest people in the world.
• Pre-schoolers and elementary school kids who need a perfect morning protein meal before
daycare or class.
• The elderly who suffer from sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) and who tend to be severely
undernourished because of poor digestion.
• Certainly body builders. Milk kefir smoothies make a perfect base for the popular whey
protein concentrates that body builders love.
• High school and college students who often eat poorly and whose grades suffer as a result
will find milk kefir a very nutritious addition to their daily diet. Kefir is a “brain food.” It
provides a complete source of protein to jumpstart their brains before classes.
Fermented milk kefir is not recommended for people who are casein-intolerant.
Kefir also has ample phosphorus, the second most abundant mineral in our bodies. Phosphorus
is important in utilizing carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for growth, cell maintenance, and
energy. A phosphorous deficiency can result in the loss of appetite.
People with digestive problems (and also with candidiasis) are usually deficient in the B
vitamins and in Vitamin K because they lack the beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract that
would normally produce them. When kefir is included in the diet, the bacteria and beneficial
yeast should soon be able to manufacture sufficient amounts of these much-needed vitamins.
Vitamin K promotes blood clotting, encourages the flow of urine, relieves menstrual cramps,
increases vitality and longevity, and enhances liver functioning.
Kefir is an excellent source of Vitamin B12, which is essential for longevity. It is the only
vitamin that contains essential mineral elements. It cannot be made synthetically but must
be grown, like penicillin, in bacteria or molds. B12 is necessary for the normal metabolism of
nerve tissue and for red blood cell formation. B12 builds immunity and can increase energy
and counteract allergens. It is also required for normal growth and is important for fertility
and during pregnancy. Additionally, it works with folate, another member of the B-complex,
in facilitating the synthesis of choline, a fat and cholesterol dissolver that plays an important
role in the transmission of nerve impulses. Choline also helps regulate kidney, liver, and gall-
bladder functions and aids in the prevention of gallstones.
B12 helps the assimilation of Vitamin A into body tissues by aiding carotene absorption or
Vitamin A conversion. It also aids in the production of DNA and RNA, the body’s genetic
material. B12 needs to be combined with calcium during absorption to benefit the body
properly and Nature has provided for that in kefir.
Kefir is rich in thiamin (Vitamin B1), also known as the “morale vitamin” because of its
beneficial effects on the nervous system and on mental attitude. Thiamin is linked with
enhanced learning capacity, growth in children, and improvement in the muscle tone of the
stomach, intestines, and heart. It is essential for stabilizing the appetite and improving digestion,
particularly of carbohydrates, sugar, and alcohol.
Kefir from cow’s milk is a wonderful source of folate (recommended for pregnant women to
prevent fetal spinal deformities). It’s vital to the function of methylation and detoxification.
Kefir helps stop food cravings because the body feels nourished as an inner balance is achieved
and nutritional deficiencies are corrected.
Kefir provides a “sour” taste. Chinese medicine teaches us there are five tastes necessary for
balance in the body; the sour taste is not commonly found in our American diet.
The skin prospers from kefir. It will become moist and creamy and, over time, you will notice
a refinement of the pores. You can use kefir externally to help moisturize your skin, but it is
beneficial for oily skin too. Fermented milks contain lactic acid, which is one of the naturally
Kefir is cooling to the body, so it is ideal to consume when you have a fever or any other condition
resulting in body heat such as a herpes outbreak or AIDS. After taking antibiotics, kefir is very
useful for reestablishing friendly bacteria in the intestines. Kefir is “Nature’s antibiotic.”
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Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients: Directions:
2 14-ounce cans coconut milk 1. Combine 2 cans coconut milk, Lakanto, agar
1 cup Lakanto flakes, dark cocoa powder, vanilla extract,
cinnamon, and sea salt in a saucepan over
½ cup agar flakes
medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
½ cup unsweetened organic dark cocoa
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer
powder
for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, alcohol-free
3. Pour the chocolate mixture into a 2-quart dish
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
and stir in the coconut oil. Let cool at room temper-
¼ teaspoon sea salt ature for 15 minutes. Refrigerate until set.
1 tablespoon coconut oil
This delightful mousse is not only delicious, it’s dairy-
1 cup walnuts, soaked, chopped free! As a delicious variation, try adding dried orange
peel in step 1.
Summer is the perfect time for you to expand on the fruits you eat. Sour fruits like lemons and green
apples combine perfectly with the coconut kefir cheese to create a cooling treat so delicious that you won’t
even know it’s sugar-free too.
Remember to eat your fruits in moderation and combine them with fermented foods to enjoy the best
results. Sometimes even sour fruits can cause candida to act up. Ideally, fruits should be eaten alone, on
an empty stomach. At Body Ecology, we take this a bit further and also suggest eating fruit with a good
fermented food or drink. The microflora will eat up the sugar. You can enjoy the delicious flavor and not
have to worry about the negative effects.
½ cup Lakanto 2. Remove from heat and let cool before pouring
into a shallow container. Put into freezer and when
Pinch of Celtic sea salt
the ice has hardened about 95 percent, use the
tines of the fork to scrape up shreds of the ice.
3. Return to freezer until ready to eat.
Some juices are more sour than others, so you will have to adjust the amount of sweetener used. Taste
the liquid and adjust sweetener accordingly. You can add a few drops of Body Ecology’s stevia liquid
concentrate to increase the sweet taste. Lakanto and stevia complement each other.
These delicious chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are naturally sweetened with Lakanto, making them
sugar-free. They’re easy to make and even easier to enjoy! However, flour products of any kind are not
healing foods, nor are they healthy for your intestines. Therefore, please consider these Chocolate Chip
Oatmeal Cookies a transitional food meant to be eaten only on rare occasions as a special treat. It’s best
to wait until your inner ecosystem has been well established and healthy. Drinking a few ounces of a
probiotic liquid around the same time would be wise.
Strawberry Granita
Ingredients: Directions:
2 pounds fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled 1. Slice the strawberries and toss them in a large
½ cup Lakanto bowl with the Lakanto. Stir until the Lakanto
begins to dissolve. Cover and let stand at room
1 cup filtered water
temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
½ teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
2. Put strawberries, filtered water, and lemon juice
Mint leaves for garnish
in a blender. Purée until smooth. Pour into a
shallow container and freeze until solid.
3. Remove pan from freezer and let sit for about
10 minutes. Using a fork, scrape the top of the
frozen mixture into icy shreds. Serve in chilled
champagne glasses. Garnish with a mint leaf.